The Key
by Britannia Jane
Summary: It's Max's birthday and Grant has the perfect gift.


THE KEY

The thermometer was sticking out of Max's mouth, he give a sniff of his bunged up nose. He pulls the blanket that is wrapped around him closer up to his chin.

"You look like the condemned man" Grant teased grabbing the thermometer out of Max's mouth; he looked at it closely.

"Yikes!" exclaimed Grant.

"What? Am I gonna live or what?" asked Max.

Grant looked even closer again at the thermometer and paused for dramatic effect.

"I literally have no idea" smiled Grant. Max gave a sniff and groaned.

"I'd come back with a real zinger if I could be bothered" he croaked sinking deeper into the couch.

Grant ignored Max and continued.

"Anyway I've come to a decision, I shall sacrifice my personal well being and kiss your sickly face" and with that Grant leaned forward toward Max and kissed him gently on the mouth.

Max smiled "Now that's the kind of medicine I like"

"Well there's plenty left where that came from" grinned Grant moving back toward him.

Just then the sound of voices could be heard from outside Max's apartment, the door opened just as Max and Grant were moving in for their second kiss.

"Whoops, sorry lovers" cried Penny, moving over toward the couch.

"I've come to see the patient" she said sitting down in an armchair next to a large fruit basket that Grant had bought for Max, hoping to force him into eating something healthy for once.

Dave entered the apartment carrying more bags and boxes than seemed humanly possible.

"Pen, when I said I'd help you up the stairs with your shopping, I didn't mean all of it" he complained.

Penny not paying any attention waved her hand toward Dave indicating for him to put down her stuff anywhere. Dave sighed and dumped or rather dropped the shopping immediately onto the floor.

Max gave a loud sneeze. Penny frowned "Your nose makes you look like an alcoholic" she said staring at max's face. Dave sat down next to Penny and grimaced at Max "Eww!"

"Guys!" laughed Grant while reaching for a tissue and giving Max's nose a wipe.

He patted Max's leg "I'll get you a tea" getting up from the couch followed by Penny he moved over to the kitchen.

"Grant" whispered Penny "Have you remembered Max's Birthday next week?"

"Of Course" he whispered back.

Grant reached into his pocket and produced a small box he opened the lid which revealed a key. Penny looked at the key and looked, and looked again, finally Grant broke the silence.

"It's a key...to my apartment"

"Mmmm" Penny replied "Are we sure we want to do that?"

Grant looked puzzled "Huh?"

"Look we both know Max..."

Grant frowned, replying "Was that a rhetorical question"?

"What I mean is, when Max and I dated he never asked for anything as meaningful as a key to my apartment".

Grant interrupted "You didn't have an apartment, Penny"

The conversation is broken by the loud sound of Brad's voice "Yo!" as he Jane and Alex enter the apartment, Jane follows Brad with an air freshener and various disinfectants, spraying liberally as she goes while Alex carries a jumbo box of tissues, rushing over to Max.

Penny yells at "Brad!" waving him over manically. Brad wanders over to her and Grant. Before Brad even opens his mouth Penny quickly asks "What do you usually get Max for his BDay?"

"Oh easy, I get him a pair of sneakers, then I wear them at the gym and he plays with the box!"

Grant shakes his head "You guys are insane"

Brad smiles and nods "You're one of us now my man"

Out of the side of her mouth Penny stage whispers to Brad "Grant got Max a key to his apartment" waiting for his reaction. Brad smiled.

"Aww! Grant, you're the coolest dude I know" patting him on the back while Grant grinned.

"No!" complained Penny waving her arms about. "Not cool. He'll hate it".

Both boys ignore Penny as the noise increases, Jane is muttering something about germs while spraying surfaces with disinfectant while Alex is telling Max to blow while she squeezes his nose with a wad of tissues and Dave helps himself to the fruit basket, apologizing every time he squirts juice from the large orange he's eating.

Grant clears his throat "Guys! As much as I love everyone looking in on Max it's time to go, patient needs rest"

After a few "We just got here" and "Can I take the fruit back?" from Dave. Grant manages to remove everyone from the apartment and sits down next to Max on the couch.

Max looks at him with red eyes, Grant smiles and putss his arm around him and pulls him tight, kissing his hot forehead while Max buried his head into Grant's chest and closed his eyes.

"Listen Max, I know it's not your Birthday till tomorrow but I can't wait sooo.." Grant reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box, he flicked open the lid still keeping his arm tightly around Max almost as if he was afraid of letting him go. But as he does he stops himself and quickly puts the box back in his pocket. What if Penny is right and he does hate it, maybe it's not too late to change his gift. He looks closely at Max, only to see he's fast asleep. Sighing he places both arms around Max and closes his eyes.

The next day Max awakes finding himself back in bed and to the sound of knocking. Dragging himself out of bed he wanders over toward the door, opening to find Penny.

"Hey, Happy Bday" flinging her arms around Max.

"Thanks, Pen" he smiles.

Penny immediately puts on a sad face "Aww, how are we?" she asks squeezing Max's face. Max wriggles and tries to reply "Better"

Penny frowned "Huh?" Max takes her hand away from his face and repeats "Better"

Penny smiles "Good 'cause everyone is waiting at Rosalita's with your Bday gifts. Where's Grant?"

"He left a note saying he'd gone to pick up my gift"

Penny looks aghast "What! No he can't he already has your..." Penny pursers her lips and goes slightly red in the face.

Max holds up his hand "Hold it there young lady, what do you mean he already has it?"

"Well, mmm, ya see"

Max raised an eyebrow "Penny Hartz!"

Penny sighed "Alright, Grant got you a key for his apartment for your birthday and I kinda told him it was a bad idea".

"Err and why would you do that, crazy?" asked Max

"I don't' know, just because I don't want you guys to break up again".

Max frowned "What? Why would you think that?" he asked.

"Just that I know you don't like things to get too serious and I thought a key to Grant's apartment was a pretty serious step. That's all" Penny looked down at the floor.

Suddenly a voice that wasn't Max's replied "It's ok Penny, I've haven't changed my mind".

Max and Penny both turned around to see Grant at the door with the box in his hand. He opened the box to reveal the key and gave it to Max. "Hope this is Ok, not too serious"

Max smiled at Grant while Penny moved away to let the guys have their moment together. Max took the key from the box and put it in his jean pocket and not saying a word kissed Grant, hugging him tight. Grant smiled relived, he looked over to Penny who made a 'pheew' noise and wiped her hand across her brow.

Grant gave Max's hand a squeeze and rushed over toward the door reaching behind revealing a large box.

"Just in case I got you a giant Pizza" he said opening the lid

Max's face beamed then suddenly changed to a puzzled look.

"What?" Penny and Grant asked.

"I think I have a hole in my jeans and I'm not sure where exactly the key is?"

Penny and Grant looked at each other, rolling their eyes.

Max shrugged "Classic Max"!


End file.
